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I have been looking online at RCI tours and they have one in Tauranga that I like the look of but the price is a little expensive so am looking for anyone who has done this tour (or any part of it) whether with a ship tour or independently.

The tour is to Rainbow Springs with the Big Splash and the Rail Car. How far out is it from Tauranga and is there a pick up available/shuttle etc. I have looked @ the pricing for each and even adding a shuttle pick up from Rotorua the ship's price is about $100 MORE!!! surely it can't be that much to get a coach etc.

A private your will run about $135.00 NZ for the day. Our private tour is full but if you contact us, we can provide a source which may help you.mowryltd@gmailo.com. Elwin

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ritchieozz

Still doing research on tours to NZ for Feb Cruise.

I have been looking online at RCI tours and they have one in Tauranga that I like the look of but the price is a little expensive so am looking for anyone who has done this tour (or any part of it) whether with a ship tour or independently.

The tour is to Rainbow Springs with the Big Splash and the Rail Car. How far out is it from Tauranga and is there a pick up available/shuttle etc. I have looked @ the pricing for each and even adding a shuttle pick up from Rotorua the ship's price is about $100 MORE!!! surely it can't be that much to get a coach etc.

I have been looking online at RCI tours and they have one in Tauranga that I like the look of but the price is a little expensive so am looking for anyone who has done this tour (or any part of it) whether with a ship tour or independently.

The tour is to Rainbow Springs with the Big Splash and the Rail Car. How far out is it from Tauranga and is there a pick up available/shuttle etc. I have looked @ the pricing for each and even adding a shuttle pick up from Rotorua the ship's price is about $100 MORE!!! surely it can't be that much to get a coach etc.

ANY help would be great.

kia ora,
Rainbow Springs are in Rotorua and feature endangered species such as the Kiwi (They are part of a conservation programme) and the tuatara (a lizard whose ancestors pre-date the dinosaur). I am puzzled by the reference to the rail car as Rotorua's closed some years ago. www.rainbowsprings.co.nz may help. Rainbow Springs are adjacent to the gondola which provides a good view of the city and lake, and often of steam emitting from the thermal areas etc.. If you scroll back on this thread you will find lots of comment on Rotorua as the area is the North Islands premier tourist attraction. Rotorua is about an hours drive from Mt. Maunganui (the port Tauranga) and cruisers usually get there by a rental vehicle or go on a tour.
Hope this helps
Aquarians

Thanks for your help everyone, I have managed to find a tour company to do a tour that they normally do and will add the Railcruising on for us, just for the cost of the railcruising price.

kia ora,
you had me puzzled when you wrote about the railcar so relieved to read that it was railcruising. While I haven't been on it I have seen videos. It is a unique experience and covers some interesting territory. Their website www.railcruising.com may be of interest to you.
Aquarians

kia ora,
you had me puzzled when you wrote about the railcar so relieved to read that it was railcruising. While I haven't been on it I have seen videos. It is a unique experience and covers some interesting territory. Their website www.railcruising.com may be of interest to you.
Aquarians

Have poured over their site and YouTube videos about it all and it looks fantastic.

Best part about the tour company is that they didn't ask for payment upfront so if there is a delay or we don't get there then no worries.

Pick up from the wharf and we are off they also guarantee to get us back an hour before sailing!

This will be our only big tour of our cruise so for the price I can justify it.

We are also doing a small 2 hr tour in Akaroa around the sites and cheese factory for $40ea.

The rest of the ports is all 'lets get off the ship and see where our feet take us'

Now that Railcruising looks like an enjoyable experience and great way to see the countryside. Our family will be making our first trip to Sydney March of 2014 for a 13 day NZ cruise and we will be visiting, Dunedin, Akaroa, Tauranga, Bay of Islands, Wellington & the Sounds. Do they pick you up at the docks in Tauranga for the Railcruising, and how long a drive is it to the station. We are in Port, 10 hours from 8 to 6

Now that Railcruising looks like an enjoyable experience and great way to see the countryside. Our family will be making our first trip to Sydney March of 2014 for a 13 day NZ cruise and we will be visiting, Dunedin, Akaroa, Tauranga, Bay of Islands, Wellington & the Sounds. Do they pick you up at the docks in Tauranga for the Railcruising, and how long a drive is it to the station. We are in Port, 10 hours from 8 to 6

Hi Desert Cruizers - Welcome to Oz when you get here. As for the RailCruising it took a little bit of research but I found one company that does a tour around Tuarange/Rotarua that doesn't include all the attractions that cost money to get into.

The Rail Cruising is just out of Rotarua and an hour or so out of the port so a tour/hire car is needed.

I am using Xquizt for my tour but as someone else mentioned on this thread Archer Tours also does tours that will incl the rail cruising (or at least they mention it on their site)

My tour includes the following for $176ea (would probably be less for more people in the group)

On leaving your cruise ship we will take you for a drive along Pilot Bay and then along the Pacific Coast of Mt Maunganui, surf beach on one side and luxury homes on the other, before heading inland through fertile land to the “Kiwi Fruit Capital” of New Zealand – Te Puke.

We stop at Kiwi 360 which is a working Kiwifruit Orchard, where we show you the kiwifruit vines and explain to you the keys points of the kiwifruit growing cycles. You will also have the opportunity here to taste the fruit, wine and liqueurs as well as doing a little shopping, if you would like to. You can also purchase a kiwifruit ice cream from the Café.

Next stop is the Kaituna River/Okere Falls at Lake Rotoiti, you can get up close to the falls and/or watch from a lookout, you may even see the Rafters and Kayakers coming down the falls, this is a Grade 5 Rafting River with the highest commercially rafted waterfall, 7m, in the southern hemisphere.

Then on to Comvita Honey, where they make many different products out of this honey product, and you can see the bees working.

Just before reaching the Rotorua central area we will take you to the Blue and Green Lake and Lake Tarawera lookout. Mount Tarawera erupted in June 1886 and on our way we pass The Buried Village of Te Wairoa (a result of the eruption). Heading back into Rotorua we stop at the Redwood Forest and take a short walk among the giant Redwoods and see the Silver Fern.

Once we get to Rotorua you will visit, Kuirau Park and take a walk around the mud pools and you can bathe your feet in the thermal foot pools, if you would like to.

We then move onto take a stroll through Government Gardens, which is home to the Museum of Art & History, Blue Baths, Te Runanga Tea House, Band Rotunda, Rachael Spring and the Totara Gates erected in the early 1900’s and take a drive along the waterfront of Lake Rotorua.

We will have time during the day to fit lunch in, this is at your expense.

This tour is $100ea and for another $76 they will take us to the rail cruising as well as an extra (ticket is $68 AND included in the price)

All our tours include complimentary chilled bottled water and sunscreen.

Afternoon Ritchie, thank you for the description of your tour. We have a small RC at the moment, maybe 35, and only a few active members. Another couple and ourselves talked about doing the Railcruising. We will be in port from 8 AM to 6. I will check out the two companies and offer this to our Roll Call to see if anyone would be interested as well as our family. A walk thru the Red forest looks like something we would enjoy for sure as well as Mt Tarawera

Hi Desert Cruizers - Welcome to Oz when you get here. As for the RailCruising it took a little bit of research but I found one company that does a tour around Tuarange/Rotarua that doesn't include all the attractions that cost money to get into.

The Rail Cruising is just out of Rotarua and an hour or so out of the port so a tour/hire car is needed.

I am using Xquizt for my tour but as someone else mentioned on this thread Archer Tours also does tours that will incl the rail cruising (or at least they mention it on their site)

My tour includes the following for $176ea (would probably be less for more people in the group)

On leaving your cruise ship we will take you for a drive along Pilot Bay and then along the Pacific Coast of Mt Maunganui, surf beach on one side and luxury homes on the other, before heading inland through fertile land to the “Kiwi Fruit Capital” of New Zealand – Te Puke.
We stop at Kiwi 360 which is a working Kiwifruit Orchard, where we show you the kiwifruit vines and explain to you the keys points of the kiwifruit growing cycles. You will also have the opportunity here to taste the fruit, wine and liqueurs as well as doing a little shopping, if you would like to. You can also purchase a kiwifruit ice cream from the Café.
Next stop is the Kaituna River/Okere Falls at Lake Rotoiti, you can get up close to the falls and/or watch from a lookout, you may even see the Rafters and Kayakers coming down the falls, this is a Grade 5 Rafting River with the highest commercially rafted waterfall, 7m, in the southern hemisphere.
Then on to Comvita Honey, where they make many different products out of this honey product, and you can see the bees working.
Just before reaching the Rotorua central area we will take you to the Blue and Green Lake and Lake Tarawera lookout. Mount Tarawera erupted in June 1886 and on our way we pass The Buried Village of Te Wairoa (a result of the eruption). Heading back into Rotorua we stop at the Redwood Forest and take a short walk among the giant Redwoods and see the Silver Fern.
Once we get to Rotorua you will visit, Kuirau Park and take a walk around the mud pools and you can bathe your feet in the thermal foot pools, if you would like to.
We then move onto take a stroll through Government Gardens, which is home to the Museum of Art & History, Blue Baths, Te Runanga Tea House, Band Rotunda, Rachael Spring and the Totara Gates erected in the early 1900’s and take a drive along the waterfront of Lake Rotorua.
We will have time during the day to fit lunch in, this is at your expense.
This tour is $100ea and for another $76 they will take us to the rail cruising as well as an extra (ticket is $68 AND included in the price)
All our tours include complimentary chilled bottled water and sunscreen.
We strongly advise to bring comfortable walking shoes, sunhat and sunnies.
Hope that helps a little with the planning.

Kia ora,
Yes, most of the places you will be visiting are free. It might pay to check if the guide is a Rotorua resident as I notice that after the stop at Kiwi 360 your posting indicates that the next stop is the Kaituna River/Okere Falls at Lake Rotoiti. This is not correct as Comvita comes next and is only a short distance from Kiwi 360. From Comvita (at Paengaroa) it is approximately another 20 minutes drive on to Okere Falls. Lakes Rotoiti & Rotorua are joined near Okere and from there it is a short drive into Rotorua city, with its numerous geo-thermal and Maori points of interest.
Aquarians

Thanks for the clarification as the tour starts off the same as one they do but branches off to visit the Comvita honey so perhaps we won't be doing the falls or doing it after (that really doesn't bother us) we really only wanted to do a proper Kiwi fruit orchard and the Mud (a DEFINITE MUST ) and the Rail Cruising

Will be able to comment and let everyone know what the tour was like when we get back.